The Chosen's Guardian
by Hidden Page
Summary: A familiar spirit has taken to watching the young Anakin Skywalker. Perhaps what Anakin needed most was a friend. That is what Luke had been best at after all.


It was the hottest day in years and that was saying something because Tatooine was by no means a cool planet. The suns were high in the sky and Shmi knew that Anakin would be in danger if she took him with her to do her rounds for Watto. Leaving him in their shaded hut, was a hard decision, she knew after all she would be gone for at least a couple of hours. But, she had no one who would be able to watch him for her. Watto was much easier on her than Gardulla but he wouldn't accept her not doing her work for any reason, even if she had to leave her toddler son behind to do so.

So coming back to the hut she had expected to hear crying. While Anakin had been sleeping when she left she didn't expect him to stay that way for long.

But she didn't hear anything.

As she entered through the hut door, setting down the small amount of rations that Watto had reluctantly given them to survive on, she heard the low sound of giggling coming from the small alcove that she had turned into a room for her Ani.

She entered slowly expecting to see her son playing with some of the rough toys she had managed to stitch out of excess cloth, after she was done making clothes for them. but what she saw instead was a child.

He wasn't facing her, he was entirely focused on Ani. He had blonde hair and was dressed in standard Tatooine child clothes, a bit better quality than her own. He motioned with his hands and seemed to be making a face because Anakin broke out into giggles once more.

Shmi stepped into the room quietly, Anakin's eyes moved to her before coming back to rest on the boy once more.

"Hello-" As soon as she spoke the child spun around giving her a glimpse of startled blue eyes, before he seemed to fade form existence. She stood still staring at the place the boy had been. Anakin's giggling had turned to a shriek of laughter as the boy disappeared, seeming to think it was apart of the game they were playing.

Shmi walked forward and picked Anakin out of his cot.

She had heard of spirits. She had sat at her grandmothers feet as she spoke about the spirits that watched over the slaves of Tatooine. Trickster spirits who helped slaves escape from their masters, who always were always one step ahead. She had heard of them, but she had never really believed in them. But something in her, told her that that boy had been no holo.

She held Ani tight to her as she turned and looked around the room. Something was telling her that the boy was still around, a vague feeling in the back of her head.

"You can come out, I didn't mean to scare you," She said her voice low in the tone she used when Anakin was frightened by the howling winds during a sandstorm. The room was quiet for a moment before starting with the shockingly blue eyes, and fluffy blond hair the boy seemed to appear. He looked older than he had a few moments before, at least half a foot taller and the clothes in slightly different colors. He also looked slightly sheepish and seemed to be having trouble meeting her eyes.

"You didn't scare me." He reassured Shmi still not looking up at her, "I'm just not used to people besides F-Anakin seeing me." He looked up at her underneath his bangs, before grinning with a sheepish smile that showed off that he was missing a tooth.

Shmi could feel her self melting, when she had been told of spirits she had never imagined them being so adorable. Anakin babbled at the two of them and the boy's attention immediately went to him, his head tilted as if he was listening to something only he could hear.

"You visit my son often?" Shmi asked a little confused, spirits did tend to focus on a family and she did always know that her Ani would have a big destiny one day, but he was two, that was a little ridiculous.

The boys eyes snapped back to her, looking embarrassed. His eyes went to his feet but this time it looked like he was wresting with trying to find a way to explain something.

"Anakin Skywalker, is really special!" He said looking up from his feet after a moment. "I have to protect him."

He looked, with his chest puffed out like he was trying to be heroic, but the look was ruined by the fact that he looked about eight.

She smiled down at him.

"Well you're in luck, because that's my job too. How about we work together?" She asked him moving to set Anakin down as he squirmed in her grip.

The boy looked hesitant and seemed to be listening for something once more. He bit his lip and ran his hand through his hair, seeming to make up his mind.

"That sounds okay, but I don't know how much I can tell you…" he trailed off his eyes following Ani as the toddler made his way around the room. As he turned to watch him Shmi noticed that she could faintly see though him to the wall on the other side.

"Lets start at the beginning, I'm Shmi Skywalker, and this is my son Anakin Skywalker. Can i ask what your name is?" She said moving to stop Anakin from putting some stray sand in his mouth. She looked up at the boy from where she knelt next to Ani. The boy looked conflicted for a split second before shaking the doubt away and meeting her eyes.

His eyes are familiar, she thought before he moved closer. He plopped on to the floor next to her, Anakin reaching for him but his hand going right though. He looked away from her his eyes starring into the opposite wall. Then with a sad smile he looked at the ceiling.

"I'm Luke Skywalker and I'm here to rescue the both of you."


End file.
